Two local benefit concerts for tornado recovery raised more than $8,000

Photo by Matthew Hyson

Photo by Matthew Hyson

Posted by Sam McDonald

A pair of benefit concerts over the May 21-22 weekend netted more than $8,000 for recovery efforts happening in the wake of month's destructive tornadoes.

A May 21 concert by songwriter Shane Cooley raised nearly $6,200 to help rebuild the tornado-wrecked Zoar Baptist Church in Deltaville.

"It went great, a nice big crowd. I'd say half the town showed up," said Cooley, speaking from Nashville where he's spending a few days writing songs. "It was a lovely evening, the show was held at a ballpark with the stage right on the pitchers mound. A very all-American kind of venue."

Cooley grew up on the Northern Neck. He said one of his high school teachers is the wife of the pastor at Zoar. When the tornado hit, the couple ran into the church to take shelter and somehow survived although much of the church was crushed.

In the wake of the disaster, Cooley called and offered to play a free show to help raise money to rebuild the church.

"It was good to be helping out a cause," Cooley said. "I just wanted to help. I'm glad people were game about it."

The other benefit concert of the weekend took place Sunday, May 22, at J.M. Randalls in Williamsburg. At Groovin' for Grove, a long list of musicians including Bobby "Blackhat" Walters, the Xstatix and Ron Fetner played to raise money for tornado victims in the Grove neighborhood of James City County.

Donations are still being counted, but the event raised at least $2,200.

"Groovin for Grove was a huge success!" Deena Walls posted on the Williamsburg Area Musicians Facebook page. "Many people's lives will be touched for the better from all the efforts!Thank you!"

"Wow! Groovin' for Grove was amazing," organizer Cindy Warner posted on the same page. "Ginormous thanks to everybody involved. We did a very good thing today."